PLEASE HELP NSG STUDENT-DOSAGE/CALC

Nurses General Nursing

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crnasomeday

188 Posts

Hi there. Sounds like you might be freaking more from the pressure of the exam than from the actual math problems. Making simple conversions shouldn't be a problem for you. It's all very simple math, but the pressure can make you forget every thing you know.

Just memorize your conversion factors, take your time and check your work. You'll do fine. I'm a student nurse too, and I have to say that I am a big fan of the 100% pass or fail deal for dosage calc tests. When calculating dosages for a patient, anything less than 100% accuracy would be unacceptable. Good luck to you....

deniseS

38 Posts

Originally posted by seven:

...um, are you without a textbook?

SEVEN.....YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS MEMBERS REQUEST WAS SIMPLY A WASTE OF TIME FOR HER>>>>IF YOU HAVE NO INFO TO PROVIDE TO HER>>>>>>>KEEP YOUR SHORT and SACASTIC COMMENTS TO YOURSELF>>>>>WE ARE ALL HERE TO TRY TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.......

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seven

39 Posts

PMSL

people, people, people - learn to relax a little....bend a little or you'll just snap, my friends....frankly, i am a little worried about some of us...

prmenrs, RN

4,565 Posts

Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

TNNURSE: When is this lovely sadistic exam? Are you a good math student or are you scared of math? If there's time, go back to the beginning of the text and start reviewing.

Make flash cards for the equivalents, if you need to. The ratio/proportion method is the most widely applicable to a variety of situations.

[i get a lot of math practice in the NICU. Like, if the Doc orders 55mg of Tylenol PR, and I have a 80mg suppository, how much of the suppository do I slice off? Never mind the fact that I have no idea if the medication is uniformly distributed in the dang thing!] Laugh, please!

If you're a math phobic, one trick that helps "program" your brain is to actually copy the example, then find a problem in the exercises that looks the same as the example you just copied. Now, put your mind in neutral, and follow the directions. Keep doing this back and forth between examples and problems. The more you practice, the more comfortable you should feel. Math is NOT like a switch where you all of a sudden shout "Eureka"; it's more like a rheostat where you gradually realize that you can DO this stuff.

The other thing is that I've been a nurse for 32+ years, and I haven't seen grains used since about 1975. Ditto for drams and ozs. As for calculating an IV drip rate, that's why we have infusion pumps!

I do wish you well, you're going to be a great nurse, and you WILL pass this test. Just pretend you're on "Survivor", and don't let them vote you off the island!

prmenrs, RN

4,565 Posts

Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I just tried to work thre example you gave: 78lb pt., etc. I REALLY hope you meant 750mg/cc, not mcg, and I REALLY hope this is totally hypothetical. I can't think of any drug that fits these #'s. Here's the ratio for the 1st part, converting the lbs to kilos:

2.2lbs:1kilo::78lbs:x

2.2x=78

78/2.2 (/=divided by)=35.45K

Next step is to figure the dose; you stated 225mg/k.

225mg:1kg::x:35.45kg

[say 225mg is to 1kg AS x is to 35.45kg]

Now, cross multiply:

x=(225)(35.45)

x=7976.25mg

See what I mean? There's NO WAY these #s will occur in real life!! And, if you gave the right "have", let's see what you'd need:

750mcg/5ml

The 1st thing is to convert mcg to mg.

750mcg:x::1000mcg:1mg

x=750/1000

x=.75mg/5cc Divide .75/5 to = .15mg/cc.

You need 7976.25mg, so

.15mg:1cc::7976.25:x

.15x=7976.25

x=53175cc

If I really screwed this up, I'm sure someone'll be all over me really fast! (Are you out there Tim?)If not, I sincerely hope the problems on the test are easier!!

kirby121

10 Posts

TTN:

The ratio is the best way to do these problems. Also, work lots of them.

2.2lbs = 1.0kg so 78/2.2 = 35.5kg

750mg/5cc = 150 mg/1cc

225 * 35.5kg = 7987.5mg

Ratio

7987.5mg 150mg

------ = -----

Xcc 1cc

150x = 7987.5

x = 7987.5/150

x = 53.25cc

I put in all the steps. I also took the liberty to change mcg to mg, in case of a typo. If you need to change mg to mcg multiply mg * 1000.

Good Luck. !!

Remember we've all been there and some of us cant do math. And it may just take some extra practice. With your grades, I's sure you know how to study. Also, see if your instructor will cut you a break and let you know what are the most important conversions to know. If there is only 5 problems, they probably wont put drams or grains on it.

journeyy

52 Posts

what's up with that attitude seven? aren't you gettin' any? you weren't born knowing how to do conversions. lighten up and help or be quiet. wouldn't you be fun to work with?!

Originally posted by seven:

...um, are you without a textbook?

seven

39 Posts

...hey journeyy....did you miss my last posting? check it out, think it might apply esp. to you...

toronto rn

91 Posts

Originally posted by TNNURSE:

I AM A NURSING STUDENT CAN ANYONE HELP WITH ANY FORMULAS TO HELP CALCULATE DRUG CONVERSIONS.EXAMPLE ;CONVERT 71/2 GRAINS TO MG.PLEASE HELP AND ANY OTHER CONVERSION FORMULAS WOULD ALSO BE APPRECIATED.

I an surprised that grains are still being used as a measurement of drugs. To my knowledge the metric system is used for drug administration, and dose calculations by pharmacies and drug manufacturing companies. Why do Dr's persist in ordering drugs by outmoded ways. If the drug is provided in mg or gms then it should be ordered that way, other conversions only lead to more risk for med errors. Perhaps the Dr's should be the ones studying how to convert the dose and get themselves into the 21st century!

Keysnurse2008

554 Posts

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WONDERFUL ADVICE.I WANT YOU TO KNOW I TOOK THE TEST AND IT HAD 5 PROBLEMS LIKE:

CHILD WEIGHS 78.35 LBS

DRS ORDER IS 5MG/KG/DAY/DIVIDED

DOSES QID.

DOSE ON HAND WAS 45MG/0.25CC

HOW MANY CC WILL I GIVE THIS PT?

5 OF THEM.

AND I SCORED 100%

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

THANKS EVERYBODY..LOVE,

TNNURSE

AJACKT33Z, LVN

39 Posts

I'M GLAD THAT YOU AT LEAST SEEK HELP- THE PLACE I WORK AT, THEY CALC & EVEN THOUGH I RE-CALC THE RIGHT DOSAGE, I STILL GET ARGUMENTS, ALTHOUGH I AM ALWAYS RIGHT--THERE IS ONLY RIGHT/WRONG--OK-- THIS IS WHAT EVEN THE RN DON SCREWS UP: ROXANOL 20MG/ML GIVE 7.5 MG S.L. Q4H PRN BREAKTHRU PAIN--I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SCREWY ANSWERS I SAW--INCREDIBLE! PROPORTIONS: THE EARLIER ANS ,IS BEST WAY 20MG/1ML :: 7.5MG/X ML, KEEPING LIKE VALUES ON SAME PLANE--CROSS MULTIPLY= 20X=7.5 X= 7.5/20=.375CC WON 20.00 WHEN I BET IT WAS RIGHT! A-S-K----YOU WILL GET HELP HANG IN!!!

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